EU teams to visit Rohingya camp Monda

Four teams of Members of European Parliament (MEPs) comprising 11 MEPs will visit a Rohingya camp in Cox’s Bazar on Monday to see their plight on the ground.

One of the teams arrived here on Saturday and three others are scheduled to reach on Sunday morning.

They will go to Cox’s Bazar from Dhaka on the same day and spend the whole day in Rohingya camp on Monday, an official told UNB.

The delegation members will also discuss trade and rights issues during their visit.

Members of the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) are Pier Antonio Panzeri (Chair), Joachim Zeller, Soraya Post and Barbara Lochbiler.

Urmas Paet will represent the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET).

Marc Tarabella will represent the delegation for relations with the countries of Southeast Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (DASE).

The members of the delegation for Relations with the countries of South Asia (DSAS) are Jean Lambert (Chair), James Nicholson, Richard Corbet, Wajid Khan and Sajjad Karim.

Some of the MEPs are likely to visit Myanmar after completing Bangladesh visit to see what steps are taken in Myanmar side to ensure safe return of Rohingyas, officials said.

The European Union is likely to come up with more pressure on Myanmar this month so that it acts promptly and creates an environment for the sustainable return of Rohingyas to their homeland from Bangladesh.

“I’m sure there’ll be new (EU) council conclusions on Myanmar in February. I hope there’ll be more pressure. The only thing is to put more pressure on Myanmar,” EU Head of Delegation Ambassador Rensje Teerink told UNB recently.

In October last year, the Council of the EU in its conclusions said it may consider additional measures if the situation does not improve but also stands ready to respond accordingly to positive developments.

However, it is yet to know what the conclusions will contain — whether it will be arms embargo or targeted sanctions on Myanmar government and army.

On January 16, Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a document on ‘Physical Arrangement’ which will facilitate the return of Rohingyas to their homeland from Bangladesh.

The ‘Physical Arrangement’ stipulates that the repatriation will be completed preferably within two years from the start of repatriation.unb